How do you find the slope that is perpendicular to the line #4x-2y=10#?

1 Answer
EZ as pi
Oct 2, 2016

#m_1 = 2 and m_2 = -1/2#

Explanation:

#4x-2y =10" "larr# change into slope-intercept form

#4x -10 = 2y" "div2#

#2x-5 = y#

#y = 2x-5#

This is now in the form #y = mx +c#
It gives the slope and the y-intercept immediately

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Recall: Slopes which are perpendicular are negative reciprocals of each other. Their product is -1.

Here are some examples:

#3/1xx-1/3 = -1;color(white)(x)-3/2xx2/3 = -1; color(white)(x) -4 xx1/4 = -1#

In general if one slope is #a/b#, the other will be #-b/a#
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In #y = 2x-5, color(white)(xxxxxxx)m = 2#

The slope perpendicular to 2 is# -1/2#

Note:
#-1/2 = (-1)/2 = 1/-2" "larr# the negative sign can be anywhere

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